Ball of Fire was proposed by our member Ed Gutteridge, who writes: 'After seeing and adoring Stella Dallas at the BFI the other day, I’d love to see some more Barbara Stanwyck on the big screen. A season would be great since she has such a mix of classics and curios.'

Hoping to update his chapter on modern slang, encyclopedia writer Professor Bertram Potts (Gary Cooper) ventures into a chic nightclub. Inside, he meets the snarky burlesque performer "Sugarpuss" O'Shea (Barbara Stanwyck). Fascinated by her command of popular jargon, Potts invites her to stay with him. But, unknown to Potts, she is the fiancée of a mobster (Dana Andrews) and wanted by the police. In the ensuing mayhem, Potts must stay on his toes or be swallowed up by bigger fish.

Please note, the screening on Wednesday 31 December is our free members' screening, while the one on Tuesday 6 January is a regular screening, which is open to the general public.

Cast:
Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck